File Fifty-Four: A Disastrous Opening Party
Erika... Sakurasou... Haibisukasu... Tenjikubotan...
It was a morning like any other, and like every ordinary day, Conan made his way inside Teitan Elementary School. Unlike any other instances, however, the child wasn't sighing loudly, lamenting his fate of having to sit through hours and hours of constant lecturing that he didn't see the purpose of ─ as arrogantly as that sounded, there wasn't much he could learn there.
This time around, he was deep in thought, holding a small notebook in front of his eyes, doing his best to ignore the group of older girls that were chattering amongst each other, walking a few feet behind him.
Maybe I could try making an anagram with the first characters of each flower, but... I can't really think of anything with those...
E-Sa-Ha-Te... or maybe E-S-H-T?
... Not a clue.
"Say, say," one of the girls said to the other, a bit too cheerfully. "Did you like the movie we watched tonight?"
"Ah, you mean the one we saw in your house? I absolutely loved it."
"It was good, considering it was such an old movie... Even that retired actress, Fujimine Yukiko, was there."
Conan tried not to wince at the mention of his mother's maiden name, picking up his pace so he could make the distance bigger.
"Fujimine Yukiko? Ah, you mean Kudo Yukiko, the mother of that famous high school detective? Heard he has gone missing..."
"Scary. You don't think that family is actually cursed, right?"
"Cursed?"
"Yeah! Did you know? Their youngest son died in a car accident when he was four! Now, for the oldest to disappear so suddenly..."
Conan blinked at those words, glancing at the girls from over his shoulder, before returning back to his notebook. None noticed that slip.
Car accident... So that's what the police told the media?
Understandable. If word got that their son got involved in a kidnapping case, the media would go crazy.
"How is that you know that much, to begin with?"
"I watched a documentary called 'The Curse of the Kudo Family'. I would recommend it for you, but it's in English, so..."
"Mean!"
The boy's eyes opened at that. English, he gasped, looking at the words he had scribbled down. Could it be?
If I work with those words, in English instead...
Erica... Primrose... Hibiscus... Dahlia... E-P-H-D?
With these letters... This... This...!
... This doesn't make any sense either.
He was brought out of his deduction haze when he heard some steps heading towards him, and soon he saw the figure of a certain strawberry girl walking right beside him. Her eyes were fixed on the floor she was walking in, not daring to make any eye-contact.
"I'm sorry for last night," she said, softly. "I know doing it is dangerous. I know I should stop..."
Her hands clenched around the straps of her bag.
"But still, every time I'm alone... I take the phone in hand and dial the number... Even if it's only to hear my sister's voice for ten seconds..."
It wasn't like he could blame her, given that he couldn't say for sure what he would do if his brother suddenly died like Akemi did. Despite it all, he slid his hands inside his pockets, his notebook in one of them.
"Idiot," he then huffed, as they reached their classroom. "You're not alone anymore."
Haibara was confused, yet he did not offer her any explanation. Before long, she closed her eyes and continued. "I believe it's almost time regardless, I'll stop. I deleted the message, so there's no reason to worry."
Walking towards her desk, Haibara set her bag on top of it and stopped moving, head lowering and her bangs covering her eyes.
"But... I've been wondering who I really am," it came out in a sorrowful whisper. "Who I am... Where it is I belong... Wherever I go, I have no place."
"Eh?! How can Ai-chan say she has no place?"
"What are you saying, Haibara?"
"Isn't that your place right there, Haibara-san?"
Both of them turned around at the instant, seeing their three friends giving Haibara equally confused looks, unable to understand the real meaning behind her words.
Then, Ayumi brightened. "This is mine," she stated, sitting in front of Ai's desk.
"Mine is here," a smiling Mitsuhiko did the same, at the desk on her right.
"This one is mine!" Genta exclaimed, a big grin plastered all over his face as he plopped down on the seat behind her.
As giggles set in, filling the otherwise empty classroom, Haibara could only watch, eyes wide as two plates, at the three children that were happy to just be there.
"And my place is here."
Not expecting that, the girl turned to Conan as he slowly sat in the desk that was right at her side, a bright grin lighting up his face before he winked.
See? it was as if he had said it. You aren't alone.
And she couldn't help but smile back, genuinely for the first time in days.
Like so, Ai sat on her desk and finally realized it. That was her own and only place in that entire world, surrounded by that wonderful group of friends that were so accepting of her, despite all her flaws. Despite her dark past.
But it was a bittersweet feeling. Because Jodie's words would still ring on her mind:
"If you fear that woman's vengeance... and do not wish to involve your friends... I await your positive reply."
Her eyes shifted to the boy beside her and, upon looking at the notebook on his hands, she narrowed her eyes. "Maybe you should stop."
He looked away from the notebook and straight to her. "Huh?"
Haibara gave him a long look, which he couldn't really read, before her eyes went plain and dull, focusing on the blackboard in front of the classroom.
"There are things that are better left off the way they are... If you probe any deeper..."
I fear what will happen to you, Kudo-kun.
With a jerky nod, the boy put the notebook away. Unable to understand what she meant with that ─ and, at some point or another, scared of it ─ but knowing that gaze.
She feared something, something he had no idea about.
Conan didn't know what to do.
Conan leaned against the rented car, the gears of his mind still in motion, listening yet not paying attention as Kogoro grumbled, annoyed over the fact that the Suzuki heiress had yet to make an appearance. He barely looked up when Haibara walked over him.
"What's wrong, Detective?" she smirked. "You are thinking a bit too much, considering a murder hasn't happened yet."
He pointedly ignored the word 'yet' she had deliberately chosen to use.
"Ah, so you're actually talking to me?" his eyebrow rose, and she shrugged.
"What? Were you missing it?"
"Stupid, that's not it," he took a moment to roll his eyes, then glance over the other children, who were happily chatting with each other, before his gaze fell on his feet, fingers on his chin. "I was wondering if it was possible that Hara-san was connected with those men in black."
Haibara's expression hardened at that. "It's certainly possible," she replied. "They're always recruiting talent from the political, medical and scientific fields for their research and operations."
"And councilman Oki-san?"
"Though he doesn't appear to have the power, it's possible," her eyes narrowed. "I should mention, once you join the Organization you're in for life."
"Which means, betrayal equals immediate elimination, huh?"
None of them needed to explain things further, as they already knew several examples where that statement applied, one of them being the girl herself.
"Hi, everyone!" Sonoko's loud voice rang through Conan's ears.
"Sonoko! What happened to your hair?"
"It was time for an image change. Just like her, I had to get a perm."
That was the moment when Conan raised his head and stared, eyes widening behind glasses. "Well, how does it look?" Sonoko moved her hair around, and suddenly the child was reminded of the photo of a ten year older Haibara he had seen not that long ago.
When Sonoko's eyes narrowed in annoyance, Conan realized he might have been staring a bit too much. "Looks like you have a comment," the girl placed her hands on her waist.
"Eh... no."
"Ah, you're just admiring Sonoko-san!" teased Mitsuhiko.
"Is that right, Conan?" Genta did the same.
"I'd rather gouge my eyes out with an unsharpened pencil."
"I can go get one for you if you want," Haibara's smirk made its appearance.
And as Sonoko glared at Conan, who in turn glared at the young scientist, Ayumi sat back on her seat, inside the car. Maybe I need a perm too... she thought, holding a strand of her own straight hair in front of her eyes.
"Everyone, allow me to welcome you to the Tokiwa Corporation's Twin Tower Buildings' Opening Party."
Every single guest in that giant ballroom focused their attention to the stage, where Tokiwa Mio was standing, dressed in a beautiful pink dress and a very expensive-looking pearl necklace. Smile still on place, she announced she had prepared a game for the 30th anniversary of the corporation. The 30-seconds game.
To say that Mitsuhiko, Ayumi and Genta were elated by the coincidence was more than an understanding.
She also had said that, whoever correctly assumed the thirty seconds ─ or came the closest to that mark ─ would receive a Mustang Convertible. If there was a tie, they would settle with janken, and the loser would receive a mountain bike in its place.
"I'm alright," Conan simply waved his hand to the worker that had approached him, basket in hand so he could surrender his watch and phone ─ which he didn't have, they had all decided to leave behind at home, since Ran had pointed out that they could get them lost in such a big party.
"Same here," Haibara refused as well.
Conan watched, curiously, as he went then to Kisaragi, claiming that he didn't have a watch, and that he wouldn't be playing either. Shrugging a bit, he turned back to his friend.
"You aren't playing again, huh?" he commented, hands sliding inside his pockets. "Are you still in a bad mood, or...?"
"I'm not interested, I don't want to give them my watch for a car that I'll not even be able to drive."
Tilting his head, Conan considered his words. "You could get the bike," he pointed out. To his surprise, Haibara frowned then looked away. "Hey, hey, does that mean that you...?"
"There are plenty of people in this world that do not know either."
Conan didn't know what to say in return, realizing that, considering her early childhood, it should have been a bit more evident that she might not know such a thing as riding a bike...
Now again, she was there, right? That girl from Sakura Class was her, and she had more or less confirmed it...
"There are things that are better left off the way they are... If you probe any deeper..."
If I probe any deeper... What?
He let out a long, exhausted sigh. Why is it that she loves beating around the bushes? I would have much preferred if she just said I'd die or something...
... Actually, that's not true.
"And what about you?" Conan blinked when he noticed he was being addressed. "You're not taking part of this either."
"I don't feel comfortable leaving this either," he stated, pointing at his wristwatch.
"So you still believe that one of them is here?"
Conan frowned at her, not saying anything for a moment as he noticed their three friends walking forward with a few other kids, colourful flags on hand. Their eyes fell on the pair, and blinked.
There was also a disillusioned glint in Ayumi's eyes as she took notice of him, but Conan didn't understand the reason.
"Say, Haibara-san," he then spoke. "Can you, uh, smell them?"
"I'm not a dog, Kudo-kun."
"You said you could pick up their scent, do you have a better explanation?"
The sole reply he got after that was an unamused look. "I can't feel them here, if that's what you're talking about," she shrugged. "Well, before you run-head first into trouble, at least tell me so I can move aside," there was a dangerous glint on her eyes as she finished. "I didn't enjoy being snipped with a tranquilizer dart. At all."
Conan's reaction at her murderous glare was immediate, his face was pale white the next moment and beads of cold sweat began to make their way down his forehead.
More than satisfied with his response, Haibara let out a smirk before turning her attention back to the stage, when Kogoro had been declared as the winner ─ by pure luck, since he had gotten distracted by a crying baby and raised his hand just because the people around were doing the same ─ and, as much as it had surprised him, Conan couldn't pay attention to it.
Forget about the Organization. This demon right here is out of blood... My blood.
After some very embarrassing words from Kogoro ─ such as 'now I can say goodbye to car payments' ─ the lights went off and a projector screen slowly lowered from the ceiling until it completely covered the window to the B Tower. Several paintings were shown, all belonging to Kisaragi Hosui, and obviously were about Mount Fuji.
"Kisaragi-sensei primarily focuses on the painting of Mount Fuji. He has spent over thirty years painting Mount Fuji from its many angles and now, to commemorate Tokiwa Mio's Twin Towers Buildings..." the announcer motioned to the curtains behind him. "His newest work: Spring Fuji!"
The curtains moved so they could show what they hid behind. As everyone had been told, Kisaragi's work was displayed for everyone to see, but it didn't have the reaction anyone would have expected. Screams of horror filled the room, as they took into the scene that was shown right in front of their eyes.
Tokiwa Mio's body was hanging from the ceiling, splitting Mount Fuji in two halves.
"Inspector, I know the identity of our killer."
It's coming, isn't it?
"Our killer..."
God, yes. It is.
"Sawaguchi Minami-san, it's you!"
Knew it.
What followed after that was a bunch of nonsense put together by the detective in order to create a somehow plausible theory of why she would have done such a thing. Such as pointing out that she had been born in the year of the boar and that the kanji for the word for 'sake cup' could be rearranged so it could read 'boar'. And like so, she would be revealing her identity by breaking the sake cups.
The motive had to be her father, an ambitious journalist who had opposed politicians quite often. After his death, she had begun working with Tokiwa as her secretary, but had supposedly witnessed Mio and Hara attempting to bribe Councilman Oki and she hadn't been able to allow it. Hence, she had resorted to murder. Three separate times.
Even Megure and Shiratori were impressed. It made perfect sense...
"That's just some rubbish you came up with."
Except it didn't.
The snobbish laugh was interrupted so the great detective could turn around to face the young boy standing behind so casually ─ as if there wasn't a dead body in that same room ─ with his hands inside his pockets and a plain, almost bored, look on his eyes.
If Inspector Megure hadn't known any better, he might as well have believed Conan was Kudo Shinichi, only smaller and with glasses.
"What did you say?!" Kogoro argued, angrily.
His expression didn't change as he crossed his arms behind his head. "The sake cup wasn't broken this time," he pointed out, irritating Kogoro even more. "If she wanted to express her father's ideals-"
"You talk a lot, brat!"
Before he even knew what was happening, Conan found himself flying out ─ quite literally ─ the murder scene. "That hurt!" he groaned, glaring at Kogoro once he landed in the ground, in a rather painfully manner, who simply smirked before turning around. He noted that Megure had sighed and gone back to his work.
Even if the inspector knew his identity, he was still too young to be running around in a murder scene, huh?
"Looks as if you haven't solved it."
"Perceptive as always, Haibara-san," of course, he had landed next to the sarcasm queen and insufferably clever scientist. "If you know, perhaps you could assist me," he couldn't help but huff at the sight of her.
"Let's see, I believe Mio-san has been consuming alcohol," Conan blinked and her smirk only grew wider. "If she hadn't been drinking, wouldn't she realize that someone had attached a piano wire to her necklace?"
That made a lot of sense, actually, yet Conan failed to tie the dots. That was, until something touched his fingers, causing him to take a look down and stare at the pearl that had somehow ended up in the ground. He held it for a few moments in front of his eyes, before they widened.
Jumping back into his feet, the child gave a stunned look at the culprit. If that person is our killer... How...?
Soon, he was running and leaving the room, as fast as his feet could take him, until he was back to where the party had been held. He stared, for a few moments, at Mount Fuji displayed from the windows before he went to the one on the other side.
The pool on top of the B Tower met his eyes. That's it... That's the motive!
But if that's so... That certain incident...
His gaze travelled across the room, looking for any clue, until it fell on the bar. There, in the cabinet, he spotted a certain drink that made his skin crawl, mostly because the realization had suddenly fell on him just like a bucket of ice water.
There, in front of his eyes, were several alcoholic bottles. They were labeled as 'GIN'.
The shock took a moment to recede but, when it did, his lips curved into a knowing smirk. He had figured it all. Every single little thing.
Not that he had time to do anything with this new information. The ground suddenly shook, violently, and the lights went off.
"What's happening here?" asked Megure. Thanks to the faint moon glow, Conan could dimly see him and the rest of the police, plus Kogoro, walking closer.
"An explosion?!" Kazama exclaimed. The kid guessed he was speaking over the phone.
Apparently, it had been the Machinery Room and the Power Generator Room on Basement Level 4, besides the Computer Room on the 40th floor.
Minami mentioned something about losing all the company's important data, and Conan couldn't help but wonder about it.
They had to evacuate, as anyone would expect in a situation like that. Because of the explosion, only the VIP elevator could be utilized, since it had a power generator on its own. But because only so many people could descend at a time, it was decided that all children, women and the elderly would use it, while men would have to go down to the 60th floor by the emergency stairs, then cross the Sky Bridge and descend B Tower to the ground.
"Go, Conan-kun," Ran encouraged the child, once many women and his four friends had stepped inside.
"You should go ahead," he replied.
"Just go," she began to gently guide him inside.
Once one of his feet touched the floor of the elevator, a 'peep' sound told them it was over the limit. "Conan-kun," Ayumi was undoubtedly worried. Mitsuhiko and Genta's expression mirrored hers.
So, he offered them a reassuring smile. "It's alright, I'll be next."
With that, the doors of the elevator closed and his friends' faces disappeared from his sight. Only then, he let his confident expression dissolve into a deep frown, eyes fixed on Kisaragi, as he refused to go in the next elevator with all of them.
Just to be sure, he whispered to Agasa and asked him to keep an eye on the older man.
The sheer depth of the explosions, the concise planning... Is it possible this was staged by those men in black?
That would explain the destruction of the Computer Room, but why the power generators?
Those thoughts did not leave his mind, even when the doors of the elevator opened and he walked inside, following after Ran and the rest.
Without him realizing, Conan started to pace, back and forth in the small elevator, right behind the legs of Ran and Sonoko. Was it to disable the sprinklers? he was so deeply immersed in his own thoughts, he didn't even notice every woman turning to give him a weird look. Or is it another reason?
"Hey, I'm talking to you!"
Conan didn't even have the time to blink confusedly to whoever had spoken to him because he felt the floor leaving his feet. His confusion-pinched expression instantly dulled at the sight of the Suzuki heiress, whose face was closer than it should have been, since she had raised him from the hood of his shirt and in front of her eyes.
Behind her, he could see the lights of the city glimmering in the night, but he paid no attention to it.
"So, what is that you wanted to tell me so badly?" he barely suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. Barely.
"You're making me nervous with all that pacing," her eyebrow twitched.
Conan opened his mouth to say something, but Ran, probably sensing that whatever that could come out would definitely not be nice, immediately stopped him, with an awkward smile.
Little did any of them know that, from a building right in front of them, yet far away from their position, a gun pointed at them. The silver haired man let out a sadistic, merciless laugh as he took aim.
Partly covered by the bodies of two teenage girls, he could see a kid with blue eyes and he could somehow see a bit of dark hair. The glasses that the child wore were thick, big and so, so familiar that Gin could have laughed.
Because he had seen her using them, in a lame, lame attempt to disguise herself.
Rest in peace, Sherry. For eternity.
"Come on, Conan-kun," back on the elevator, Ran couldn't help the nervous laugh. "Be a bit easier on Sonoko, she's... scared..."
The smile on her face dropped all of sudden, face gradually growing paler and paler until she was nothing but a sheet of paper with eyes, wide, wide eyes that could not stop staring. The kid and her friend blinked, unable to understand what had frightened her so badly.
She couldn't pay attention to that. All she could focus on was the bright red laser point in between Conan's innocent blue eyes.
Everything happened far too fast for the child to realize what was going on, but his mind registered two things. The first one, the sound of the window shattering for no rhyme or reason. The second one was falling.
Ran had tackled him and, with her, Sonoko, into the ground. He heard the heiress yelping out of surprise, but he was far too stunned to do the same. In no time, his back painfully hit the ground, but thankfully his head didn't suffer because she had covered it with her hand.
The elevator stopped and Sonoko stood up, frantically asking Ran what had happened, yet she did not answer, nor she did move. Only pressed Conan's head back into the ground when he attempted to sit.
"R-Ran-neechan?"
"Don't move!"
Startled by the desperation of her voice, Conan managed to get a glance at the glass and gasped, horrified. There was a hole, which he recognized right away.
A gunshot?! he panicked. Why?! Why would they...?!
His eyes fell on a distressed Sonoko and, upon remembering her resemblance with future Haibara, realized it. Their real intentions.
If Haibara-san isn't here... Why did they...? Did they mistake her with anyone else?
... Oh, no.
Cold sweat dripped down his forehead while Conan finally understood what was happening and was painfully aware that Ran was still protecting him with her body. So he struggled, but Ran did not let up so easily.
"I know what I'm doing, Ran-neechan!"
Confused at his words, the girl's grip went slack without realizing it, an opportunity that Conan immediately took so he could slip away from her arms and, to her horror, run right in front of the glass.
His hands went to his glasses and he activated the newest function Agasa had incorporated on them just a few days ago. He zoomed in and found him, standing in front of a building.
Come on. Take a good look at me.
Doing his best not to show how badly he was shaking, how terrified he was, the little boy extended his arms to his sides and raised his chin.
Look at me, Gin!
Apparently, the man had realized his mistake because he lowered his weapon. Only then, Conan felt himself able to breathe again.
He was so glad he had given up on him that he didn't even think about feeling ashamed of being mistaken for a girl.
"Conan-kun!" Ran was all over him again.
"It's okay now, Ran-neechan," he offered her a reassuring smile, that confused her more than anything. "We need to get out. Raise me up!"
It took a second longer than needed to process his request, but she ultimately nodded, picking up the child and raising him, so he could kick the hatch open. Once out, he turned on the light on his wristwatch and looked around, as Ran helped the others to climb up.
He noticed the doors for the other floor, but with his strength he didn't manage to do anything. Luckily, Ran was there and opened it instead.
Like that, they managed to get into the 45th floor, the one that connected with the Sky Bridge.
Smoke was beginning to fill that floor, so they all hurried to the bridge.
Gin watched the group running on the hall for a moment before dialing a number on his phone. "It's me," he said, once they had picked up. "How about your end?"
"Negative," replied Vodka. "It's all men."
"She must have discovered us and stayed up there. She won't be leaving," his cold smirk widened, if possible. "Blow up the bridges."
Now that the order was given, Gin ended the call and placed the phone back on his pocket, eyes not leaving the building that, in mere seconds, would be nothing but a pile of rubble and dirt.
But his mind wouldn't stop thinking about it, for some reason. The piercing look on that strangely sharp-eyed little boy as he bravely stood in front of everyone in that elevator. If Gin didn't know any better, he would have sworn that kid could see him.
The defiant, determined glint on his eyes were something that somehow unsettled him, and reminded him of a certain somebody that should be swimming with the fishes right now.
Gin shook his head, however. He was definitely thinking too much into this.
"Watch out, Conan-kun!"
Deciding that fate itself had some sort of resent against him, Conan slowly sat up, far too horrified about the scene developing in front of him to thank Ran for pushing him away from harm, for the second time today.
Because the Sky Bridge had fallen before Ran and Conan could cross it.
And now the smoke was beginning to catch up with them, there was no way he could ignore it. Not when it was starting, ever so slowly, to make its way into his lungs, causing him to cough, viciously.
He didn't even look at Ran, well aware of her expression as she fussed over him even without seeing her face. Conan could tell she was scared, and he couldn't really blame her. Not when he felt the same way.
It was more than obvious that they were going to meet their end there.
Even if he reassured her he was okay, Ran's eyes did not leave the child, watching with concern as he kept coughing and coughing. One glance to her side and she saw fire. The flames were most likely going to shallow that entire place in a matter of minutes.
Why? she felt her chest tightening. Why is all of this happening, all of sudden?
Little Conan kept on coughing, causing her hands to tighten their grip on his shoulders, unconsciously. As she looked at him, she couldn't help but recall that laser point on his forehead. That was probably something she would never, ever be able to forget. Well, if they ever got out of there, anyway.
Whoever did this was after Conan-kun, she came into the conclusion, a frown present on her face. Someone... Someone out there is after Conan-kun's life.
She couldn't think of a reason why. Why would anyone want to kill a child, so badly as to blow up an entire building?
The real question, however, was why. Why does it have to be like this?
Why is that Conan-kun can't have the life he deserves? Why is that disgrace always follows him around?
... Why can't he just live as the child he is?
Something akin to determination passed by Ran's fiery gaze as she stood up, earning a confused look from the young boy in front of him, yet she didn't explain. Just rushed to the emergency fire hose against the wall, took it and tied it against a piece of metal from the bridge that had just fallen.
"Ran-neechan, are you-?" he didn't get to finish before she passed the hose around his waist.
"I don't know if it will work like the movies," with a reassuring smile, in spite of the situation, she picked the boy up and secured him tightly against her body. "Just hang on tight, Conan-kun."
He did, simply watching as the girl walked to the edge of the building. Despite knowing how crazy all of this sounded, Conan did not argue, just kept silent as she gazed down at the street beneath them.
They were on the 45th floor. It didn't take a genius to figure what their destiny would be if this stunt failed.
Ran's expression did not waver, even when she felt Conan's eyes on her. They lingered there, for a moment, before he took a look behind her back.
Flames danced around his vision, consuming everything in sight with their extreme warmth. Not a comforting sight, so he turned back to the girl.
"Ran-neechan," his voice was calm, despite the fear he was undoubtedly feeling. "Are you scared?"
"I am," she replied, in all honesty. "But you're with me, Conan-kun," she then turned to see him. "And I can't let you die, no matter what."
Conan's eyes widened behind his glasses, and she only smiled at the sight.
Yes, life hasn't been fair with Conan-kun. This boy has endured so many hardships in his short existence, but he has gotten through all of that.
No matter how hard, Conan-kun has done his best to live.
Conan's surprised expression vanished. A sincere smile graced his lips.
"It's going to be alright, Ran-neechan," he said to her. "Whatever happens, I'm here with you."
Ran couldn't suppress the laugh that bubbled up from her. That little boy would never change, would he?
To grow up, to fall in love, to have fun and to fail... You still have a lot to live, Conan-kun.
That's why... That's why I can let it all end here.
Just before she was going to do anything, they heard her phone blaring in her pocket and they two giggled, despite the situation, knowing who was calling without even looking at it.
"This must be all over the news right now," Conan pointed out. "You did tell him we were coming here, after all."
... I can't die here, either.
Not until I can see him again... Until he comes back home and everything goes back the way it's supposed to be.
... And that I can finally kick that idiot in the face for all the trouble he has caused.
She could already feel the warmth of the flames caressing her back, so Ran gave Conan a last look and, upon feeling his limbs tightening their hold against her, the girl finally jumped.
As they fell, Ran gritted her teeth, Conan crossed his eyes shut...
And Kogoro screamed.
Finally, they stopped falling and Ran used the momentum so she could kick the window open, but just barely shattered it.
For less than a second, which honestly felt like a long more, they just hung on the air, looking up just to realize that the hose was burning. This instigated Ran to act.
She pushed herself from the wall, before trying again. This time she managed to break through the window, just in time for the hose to burn out.
Even though they were safe, Ran just remained there, on the floor, hugging Conan tightly, before she released him. Once he did, he gave her a wide, bright grin.
"You're amazing, Ran-neechan."
Upon seeing his smile, she couldn't help but mirror his actions.
"I believe you gave Occhan a heart-attack, though."
He wasn't wrong, they realized once they saw him in the safety of firm ground. Even when scowling, and walking towards them with his hands inside his pockets, watching Sonoko fussing over his daughter, they could clearly see his pale face and still shaking body.
Conan decided he looked as if he was about to faint.
A rain of shattered glass caused the little boy to swallow any comment on that and to run away, beside the others, so they wouldn't get hurt.
Once he determined they were finally safe, Conan let out a long, relieved sigh in spite of the hellish sight in front of him. The flames were covering the 45th floor as a whole, completely taking over the elevator they had just been in a few moments ago.
By the corner of his eye, he noticed that Ran was looking at him so he flashed her a tired smile, nodding at her. She did the same, before plucking her phone out of her pants' pocket.
"Sorry," the professor said to the child, once the girl had stepped away so she could talk. "I lost track of him on the way."
Conan figured that, had it been any other time, he would have felt a bit mad. But as things were now, he couldn't bring himself to care that much. Not when they all could be dead at this very moment.
That sense of relief and peace soon washed away when he realized that he couldn't see his friends. Anywhere.
Sweat dripping down his chin, he immediately pulled his detective badge out. "Ayumi-chan, Genta, Mitsuhiko, Haibara-san," Megure and everyone in the group turned around at the frantic tone in the child's voice. "Do you hear me?"
"I hear you, Conan-kun!" Ayumi's cheerful response was instant.
"Where are you all?"
"We're at the entrance to the Sky Bridge on the 60th floor," Mitsuhiko informed.
A collective gasp was heard, even from Ran's side, and Conan's eyes immediately fell on the burning building in front of him. They... his mouth hung open, and the badge almost slipped away from his fingers because of the shock. They're up there?!
Sounds started to fill the place again, hurried orders from the inspector, such as calling for an helicopter, and rushing, lots of rushing.
But all those were nothing but muffled noises, gradually lowering down until they became a mere shrill annoying whistle on his ears that had suddenly gone deaf. The world around him was moving so fast, yet Conan couldn't move, couldn't do anything. Just stare at the flames that were eating everything away with a blank, almost lifeless look.
Then...
Then, he heard it.
"Conan-kun... Are we going to die?"
With a sharp intake of air, Conan's eyes shot back to the badge that rested on his hand and for a moment, he saw them. In their classroom, in their desks, sitting all beside each other like any other day.
Smiling, happy, together.
The next moment, Conan was all alone. Sitting in that lonely, sad place that used to be so lively before.
He bit his lip.
I'm sorry.
I really am, Ran-neechan.
Before he registered it, his feet were moving towards Kogoro's rental car and grabbing his skateboard.
But just like you...
Once he collected his gadget, Conan took off running, as fast as he could, not looking back even once.
There are people I can't lose, no matter what.
"Ran!" Shinichi's desperate call on her ear brought her attention away from the burning building. "What's going on there?"
"Ai-chan and the others are still in the building!" she informed him. "They are still up there! Detective Takagi just called a helicopter, but-!"
"Where's Conan?!" she blinked at that question, not understanding where that came from. "Ran, is he still there?!"
"What do you mean? He is right..." Ran trailed off when she noticed she could not see him anywhere. "Conan-kun?!" everyone turned at the sound of her terrified gasp. "Conan-kun is not here!"
"Eh?!" the police, plus Kogoro exclaimed, stunned.
There was not such a shocked sound from Shinichi's side. Just a scowl. "That stupid kid," was all he muttered, before he hung up on her.
Conan didn't know what possessed him to actually answer the Earring Cellphone he carried with him when it beeped. But he still did.
"Conan! Just what do you think you're doing?!" the stern, panicked and very, very annoyed sound resounded on his ears.
But instead of annoying him, it made the child smile instead, content to just listen to the voice that shouted at him, even as he stepped inside the elevator.
He didn't know how to answer his question. He wasn't sure of what he was doing, but it felt... right, somehow. Out of everything I have ever done, that's the most reckless thing I have ever done in my life, eh?
And that's saying a lot.
"... You're going to get yourself killed if you-!"
"I know."
Shinichi paused at that.
"I'm probably going to die, I know that already," he continued, far too calm for a child that was aware of the tragic destiny that awaited him. "But there's also something else I know. If I let them die, all alone, without trying to do something, anything to avoid it..." a sincere smile crossed his face. "... I don't think I would ever be able to live with myself."
For a second or so, his brother had fallen quiet, yet Conan did not rush him. Just stared at the numbers of the elevator slowly going up and up, and wished that they would just hurry up.
"Please, Conan, please," he couldn't help but notice that his voice had quivered, slightly, with desperation. "Don't do this."
His smile only stretched wider.
"Just make sure you don't make Ran-neechan cry, okay?"
"... Don't..."
"I will haunt you if you do."
"Conan-!"
Pressing the end button, Shinichi's voice suddenly stopped sounding, and now the elevator was eerily silent. Just a bit more, guys, he said, on his head, while looking at the numbers, that rose steadily.
Taking a deep breath, Conan glanced one last time at the miniature phone resting on top of his hand.
A bittersweet smile crossed his face, upon finally realizing why he had answered his brother's call.
Unconsciously, he had just wanted to hear him one last time until it was all over.
The smile was replaced by a focused frown as soon as the doors began to open, and he ran out of that elevator.
Without even stopping or giving out an explanation, the child promptly snatched a flashlight from the hands of one of the firefighters that were around. By the time the man had noticed it, the child had gotten on his skateboard.
Before anyone could realize what was going on, the child was flying, riding his skateboard across the sky, before he reached the other side.
The boy rolled on the ground, wincing at the impact, not caring about the skateboard that had failed to make it to the other side.
"That was awesome!"
"So cool!"
"You're our brave hero!"
Sighing loudly, Conan stood up.
"Save that for when we get out of here."
A/N:
Bry: I'm not sure, actually. I might do one of them, but at the moment I can't really tell.